Favorite Treats Loved By Dogs and Kids

I discovered that our dogs LOVE when our grandkids visit, not only because they love our grandkids, but because they know in our limited, finicky-small-child menu, these treats are often on the agenda!

Just like kids, dogs do have favorite treats.

I think treats should be edible by humans.  It means the ingredients are good enough for both two and four legged diners.

Let me share with you MY favorite treats, which are loved by both kids and dogs in our household.

Dog and Kid Friendly Favorite Meatball Treats

These friendly treats are SO VERY EASY to make!  Here's how.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dried oregano or 1 TBSP fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup Italian Seasoned bread crumbs
• 1  lb ground beef
• 2 eggs beaten

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix Parmesan cheese, salt, oregano and bread crumbs. Add eggs and meat and combine, being careful to not over-mix.
3. Using a spoon to scoop meat, form meatballs, aiming for the size of a golf ball. Place no less than 1 inch apart on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes.

Ready to go into the oven!

If I am serving the meatballs to my grandkids, I make a sauce of 1 TBSP brown sugar, 2 TBSP ketchup, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce and drizzle it over the tops of the meatballs.

For use as dog treats, I sometimes make the meatballs with ground chicken.  But, our dogs also love the beef.  I remove them to a bowl and cool them, and if not serving as a treat immediately, I store them, covered, in the refrigerator.

Serving Up Favorite Dog Treats

When it's time to use the treats, I remove three meatballs from the refrigerator and cut them into quarters.  (Remember we have 7 dogs!)  If you have one dog, then one meatball will be enough.

I usually bring the meatball treats out to our patio, and our dogs need to perform some type of trick, good listening skill, or (in the case of our oldest dog) simply SIT.

Often, I give our dog, Lilah, her treat and then allow her back into the house, as she is a resource guarder, and can get grouchy when jackpot treats, such as these, are on the menu of outside activities.  Removing her from the situation is the best outcome.

There is no end to my popularity, or the begging faces, when these favorite dog treats make their appearance.

Talley has learned to sit and wait for her treat.

Lilah's nose knows meatballs!

I hope you will try this treat recipe.  Sometimes, when our oldest dog, Moe, is off his eating routine, a meatball will kick start his appetite again, so they do come in handy.  They will keep about a week in the frig.  I always serve them cold to our dogs.  To rewarm them for human consumption, a quick microwave with a few drops of water in a glass bowl, will do the trick.

I am a member of a group of fantastic photographers who blog every Friday in a circle format.  This week's theme is "favorite treats," and I, for one, can't wait to try some of the others I will be reading about.  To access the circle, simply click on the link that follows, then look for a link at the end of each blog, continuing around the circle until you are back here again.  Enjoy!

Start this week's journey around the treat circle with Courtney at CM Bryson shares 3 Cool Summer Treats for Hot Dogs to help beat the hot southern summer weather in Atlanta, Georgia.